Ponderings
by Nora M
Summary: Under the Arizona night sky, friends ponder over the way life goes.


Ponderings

By: Nora M.

Standard Disclaimer:Action Man and all characters associated with it are not mine. They are the copyright of YTV, Fox Kids, Pazsaz Entertainment Network, and Hasbro, Inc.

Author's Notes:I'm back after a short break.I figured I should write a story during my Christmas break.This one deals with the worries and fears of two characters. I hope you enjoy this one like all the others.Read and review please.Thank you.

_Ok, let's recap everything that has happened to me in the last few months.One- I almost got myself, my crew, my friend and his crew killed trying to win a race.Two- I lost my sponsors and team because of the stunt I pulled at the race and I ended up in the hospital with a broken leg.Three- I let a psycho put some microscopic trilo-things in me that turned me into a white faced dead looking monster.Four- I almost drowned when the psycho's lab sank to the bottom of the ocean.Five- I tried to make the U.S. military shoot my friend's plane down and I helped the psycho almost get hold of nuclear weapons.Six- I impersonated my friend to try and get him arrested for terrorism.Seven- I tried to nuke the world killing 99% of the population.Eight- I tried to stop the train that would nuke the world but failed and turned into that pasty-faced monster again.Nine- I tried to run over my friend in an 18-wheeler and almost killed someone else.Ten- My brain patterns were downloaded into a computer then a trilobug while the psycho downloaded his brain patterns into my body.Eleven- I started replicating and eating computer files while in the form of several trilobugs.Twelve- I got the Council of Doom locked up only to have them escape.Thirteen- As a trilobug monster, I tried to destroy Washington D.C. **Thank God that failed!!**Fourteen- The psycho took control over the trilobug me.Fifteen- The psycho destroyed all the little trilobug me's but one.Sixteen- My body was cloned from a cell sample the psycho gave this Simon Grey guy.Seventeen- My brain patterns were downloaded into the clone of me and somehow I'm alive again.It's strange to me.Maybe I could sell my story to some movie studio and become really famous?Nah.No one would believe all that.I don't know if I believe all that and it really happened!Btw, Psycho = Dr. X.Friend = Alex Mann.Friend's Team = Rikki, Grinder, and Fidget._

_ _

Brandon sat on his bunk in Big Air writing in his journal a very long list of the events of the last few months.Most of them weren't the best of memories but some were and to him you must count the bad with the good.The brown leather bounded book hadn't been touched since the disaster in Paris.The thick pages were turning yellow from the lack of use. The bunk compartment was empty since the others were busy with their jobs.

Grinder's in his makeshift garage fixing the bike.Fidget's trying to piece together a high light reel while Rikki's yelling at her to finish it up.Alex's- - well –I'm not real sure where Alex is at right now.He was skateboarding in the pit but he's not there now.

"Rikki!I'm going to rip your head off and shove it up your nose if you don't leave me alone!"Fidget screamed then a thump hit the wall.

_She threw a notebook at him. And it missed him completely._Brandon processed at the sound of the thump.

"Hey, don't get upset with me.I'm not the one who said she'd have a high light reel ready by last month!"Rikki exclaimed then another thud was heard.

_She aimed this time and hit him in the stomach with a book_.Brandon's mind stated when Rikki went oof.Brandon grinned goofily at the sounds of Team Extreme.They were a family by all definitions.They fought with each other.They made fun of each other.They kept themselves in line, and most of all, they loved each other more than anything else.

Now as luck would have it, he was apart of this family.Alex needed someone who dealt with X recently to give him the upper hand and Grey needed someone who could fool the Council of Doom into thinking he was X.Since Brandon and X are clones of each other, Grey thought that if Team Extreme needed a man on the inside Brandon could look like X and sneak in.Not only would he be an athlete but also a world guardian like Alex.

Brandon closed the journal and stuffed it under the mattress of his bunk.His was under Alex's and next to Grinder's.He liked his bunk.It was far enough from the hum of the engines that he could get a good night's sleep, but close enough to hear if someone was coming up the stairs.Brandon glanced at his watch – 11:15 p.m. time for him to go look for Alex.The two of them agreed that at 11:20 every night they would discuss what had happened to them since X arrived on the scene without the others hearing all about their worries and fears.Tonight would be no different if he found Alex.Brandon swung his legs over the edge of his bunk and stood up.He stretched his arms and back while walking toward the stairs.After tripping over Vinnie and almost tumbling down the stairs, Brandon somehow managed to not kill himself and walked into Grinder's area.

"Hey, Grinder.You seen Alex?" Brandon inquired while the Brit was putting away a wrench.

"I think I saw him go outside a few minutes ago," the English accent replied with his back to Brandon.

"Thanks, man," Brandon affirmed as he walked down the ramp and out the plane.

The Arizona desert sky was full of a billion stars.Some were pale white and small.Others were bright like light bulbs that shone with radiance.All shimmered in brilliance as the moon hung full overhead.Brandon listened to the night for only a moment.The wind only blew gently around the land.

Suddenly, Brandon felt something tenderly hit him on the back of the neck.He looked around for the object only to find Alex sitting on the right wing of Big Air.His blue shirt and white pants blended well into the sky and plane.

"Are you coming up here or what?"His friend's soft baritone voice jokingly asked as Brandon made his way up to Alex.

Brandon stepped onto the wing and carefully made his way over to Alex.He sat down next to his friend and rolled his eyes.

"You're losing your touch, Alex.Normally you hit me in the back of the head," Brandon joked as he nudged Alex in the stomach with his elbow.

"Figured I do something different tonight," Alex replied and rolled his eyes."I can't become predictable you know."

"Yeah, I know.So why are we meeting out here tonight?"

"Two reasons- One we could use the fresh air since we've been cooped up in Big Air for over a week and two, I just remembered that game we used to play.Remember, find your own constellation?"Alex reminisced about the past.

"Oh, no," Brandon grumbled as his hand met his forehead."I remember.We came up with the most ridiculous names for constellations."

"The Pink Panther."

"The Goldfish."

"A hot dog with relish."

"Man catching a shoe with a fishing pole."

"A sandwich."

"A chipped tea cup."

"And my personal favorite," Alex gave himself a drum roll by slapping the metal wing, "Nick Masters falling down a flight of stairs!"The two friends shouted together then erupted into fits of laughter.

After a few moments, the laughter died down.They both had tears in their eyes and were holding their bellies.

"Man, those were the days," Brandon stated after regaining his composure.

"We had a lot of fun then," Alex remembered as they looked up at the sky. "Hey, look.The Pink Panther."Alex commented and pointed to a group of stars that really looked like the Pink Panther.

Brandon glanced up at the stars and smiled.It had been a long time since he had seen the night sky. 

"Should we get down to business?" Brandon inquired hoping Alex would say 'no.' He didn't want to think about X right now.He wanted the mood to stay light and humorous.

"We better before the other guys start looking for us," Alex replied; his voice was distant.

"Ok, first let's start with the AMP factor," Brandon got the discussion started with a familiar yet still unexplained topic."X found a way to block it and you saw a glimpse of the future.Any explanations from Grey?"

"Nope.I don't think even X would have guessed I would see into the future."Alex leaned back onto his elbows and thought about the question he needed to ask.After a moment of silence, Alex sighed and asked the never said question.

"Was it hard for you to join with X?"

Brandon was shocked by the question.He knew that one-day someone, somewhere would ask it but he never thought it would be Alex.He glanced at the scenery then looked at Alex.His body showed signs of confusion.He couldn't look Alex in the eyes.His hands were shaking.His shoulders slumped down in sorrow.

"I don't know the answer to that Alex," Brandon finally broke the silence with the true statement. He looked into Alex's eyes and explained himself honestly."A part of me was thinking I was crazy for going to X.Another part of me was tired of being second.I wanted to be better than you.I guess I wanted to prove that I could win a race.I didn't think about the consequences.Then everything started snowballing.I didn't know what was happening to me.X was upgrading me for an experiment.That's when I really wanted out but I didn't know how to get out."

"That's when you came to me for help?"

"Yeah, I didn't want to be a part of X's plans anymore.I never thought it would get like it did.I knew he wanted to 'upgrade' the human race and I knew he wanted you dead but…."

"Hey you two!" Fidget screamed from the ground, "What are you doing up there?!"

Alex noticed Brandon's distress and answered Fidget's question with a yelled reply."We're making up our own constellations.What are you doing?"

"Trying to get Rikki off my back," the tomboy mumbled as she made her way up to the pair.Once on the wing, she walked over to the two and sat next to Alex."So what constellations have you two come up with?"

"Well, there's a soda can," Brandon pointed to a group of stars.

Alex and Fidget followed Brandon's finger.Sure enough there was a group of stars that look like a soda can.

"And there's a video camera," Alex gestured as Fidget looked at the 'soda can.'

"Where?!?"Fidget exclaimed examining the night sky feverishly for the camera.

"Right there, next to that bright star," Alex answered motioning for Fidge to look one-way.

"Oh, I see it," Fidget exclaimed as her eyes fell onto the stars.She smiled brightly and snuggled in between Brandon and Alex for warmth."Can I try to name one?"

"Sure, try naming that group of stars," Brandon responded directing Fidget's attention to a group of six stars arranged in an unusual pattern.

"Hmm, let's see," Fidget whispered trying to draw imaginary lines in between the stars, "Ok if I join that bright star with that dim star over there and that star with that star and that star with that star, I get a spider web.But if I join that bright one with that other bright one I get a fish."

"Well which one do you like more?The fish or the spider web?" Alex asked the fiery redhead.

"The fish.I like the fish more," Fidget answered with some bounciness.

"Then that group of stars is the Fidget fish!" Brandon happily named the new constellation.

"Guys, where are you?" Rikki's voice cut through the night sky like a knife."Where are you?"

"Up here!" Alex cupped his hands and projected his voice out to Rikki.

Rikki jumped and looked up at the three Team Extreme members sitting on the wing.He could only see Alex's light pants against the ebony star filled sky.Knowing that the team had an early morning gig, he reluctantly climbed the ladder up to the wing.

"Guys, we have an early show tomorrow.You better – whoa!"

Brandon skidded on his knees and grabbed Rikki's hand to keep him from falling off the wing of the plane.Rikki dangled in the air like a doll while Brandon, Alex and Fidget pulled him up onto the wing.After Rikki had his feet on the wing and was able to stand, Brandon let go of Rikki's hand.

"You ok?" Brandon wondered aloud as Rikki leaned against the side of the plane.

"Yeah, I just lost my balance," Rikki responded after letting out a deep sigh."We better turn in.We have to be up before 8."

A group 'ugh' was heard from all except Rikki.Rikki just shook his head and carefully made his way down the ladder.Fidget followed after Rikki was inside of Big Air.Alex and Brandon stood on the wing for a minute more before they made were way down the ladder.Brandon walked inside of Big Air while Alex stood on the ground gazing up at the sky.He smiled inwardly as a shooting star raced across the sky.Maybe he and his friends could defeat Dr. X. Then after a few seconds of silence, Alex walked inside of Big Air.The hanger door slowly rose and finally shut completely with a thunk.

# The End

© 2000


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